Haaland Confirmed As Next Interior Secretary
Appointment is critical to Alaska miners The U.S. Senate has confirmed Deb Haaland as President Joe Biden’s Interior secretary, a historic move that will make her the first Native American Cabinet secretary. The vote was 51 to 40, with most Republicans voting against her after several called her views on public land use and fossil fuels extreme. It is one of the most critical appointments affecting resource development in Alaska. Haaland will be part of Biden’s plan to tackle the climate crisis and reduce carbon emissions. During her confirmation hearings, Haaland highlighted her history-making nomination, saying, “The historic nature of my confirmation is not lost on me, but I will say, it is not about me. Rather, I hope this nomination would be an inspiration for Americans — moving forward together as one nation and creating opportunities for all of us.” “It’s difficult to not feel obligated to protect this land, and I feel that every Indigenous person in this country understands that,” she told CNN. “We want to protect this country, and that means protecting it in every single way.” Four Republicans — Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, and Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — joined all Democrats in Secretary Deb Haaland is the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary. She is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and a 35th generation New Mexican. Secretary Haaland grew up in a military family. Her father was a 30-year combat Marine who was awarded the Silver Star Medal for saving six lives in Vietnam, and her mother is a Navy veteran who served as a federal employee for 25 years at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. As a military child, she attended 13 public schools before graduating from Highland High School in Albuquerque. As a single mother, Secretary Haaland volunteered at her child’s preschool to afford early childhood education. Like many parents, she had to rely on food stamps at times as a single parent, lived paycheck- to-paycheck, and struggled to put herself through college. At the age of 28, Haaland enrolled at the University of New Mexico where she earned a Bachelor’s degree
voting for her. Republicans who oppose Haaland’s nomination highlighted previous comments she’s made related to fossil fuels and answers they felt were insufficient at her confirmation hearing. Sen. John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming and the ranking GOP member on the
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, spoke in opposition to the nomination in a floor speech Thursday. During her confirmation hearings, Haaland attempted to strike a delicate balance on energy and environmental policy, saying, “There’s no question that fossil energy does and will continue to play a major role in America for years to come.” But, she added, “Our climate challenge must be addressed,” and she contended that “the Department has a role in harnessing the clean energy potential of our public lands to create jobs and new economic opportunities.” On several occasions, Haaland declined to give her personal opinions in the face of questions from Republican senators, indicating instead that she would work in service of Biden to carry out his administration’s agenda. in English and later earned her J.D. from UNM Law School. Secretary Haaland and her child, who also graduated from the University of New Mexico, are still paying off student loans. Secretary Haaland ran her own small business producing and canning Pueblo Salsa, served as a tribal administrator at San Felipe Pueblo, and became the first woman elected to the Laguna Development Corporation Board of Directors, overseeing business operations of the second largest tribal gaming enterprise in New Mexico. After running for New Mexico Lieutenant Governor in 2014, Secretary Haaland became the first Native American woman to be elected to lead a State Party. She is one of the first Native American women to serve in Congress. In Congress, she focused on environmental justice, climate change, missing and murdered indigenous women, and family-friendly policies.
www.alaskaminers.org I The Alaska Miner I Spring 2021
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